Wotton reports that this family "came out of France with William the Conqueror". BP1934 suggests that the family "derives its name from the manor of Shelley" in Kent. Wotton suggests that the branch reported here "removed from Huntingdonshire" into Sussex. Wotton starts with ...

John Shelley

1.

John Shelley

m. Margaret (dau/heir of John Rolph)

A.

John Shelley (a 1417, MP for Rye, Sussex) the first mentioned by BP1934 & Visitation (Hampshire)

Berry shows this John as son of Robert (by Elizabeth, dau/coheir of John Petitt) son of Sir William of Affendary, "brother to Sir Thomas Shelly, that was attainted for endeavouring to set up King R. II.". This seems to be confusion with the people shown by Wotton as younger siblings of this John.

m. Beatrix Hawkwood (dau/heir of Sir John Hawkwood) father called Julius by Visitation

Wotton, BP1934, Berry & Visitation (Hampshire) all show that John (a 1417) was father of John (d 1526). As he would almost certainly have been of age by 1417, when he was an MP, he must have been born by 1396 at latest. We had thought it likely that at least one generation had been missed out here but now (provisionally) we accept that it is possible that it was not. However, it should be noted that Visitation (Sussex) starts with a Gilbert Shelley who, by _ Sydney, is shown as the father of ...